The Top 200 #1 Hits of The Beatles Era

THE TOP 200 #1 HITS OF

THE BEATLES ERA, 1964 - 1970

We've compiled a list of The Top 200 Biggest Number One Records of the Beatles Era.

Many, many years ago Casey Kasem did a special American Top 40 Countdown saluting The Beatles Era and it was one of my favorite "special countdown" shows. I decided to take it another step further ... and expand the list to 200 songs ... but only included the records that actually made it all the way to #1!

Another big difference THIS time around is that we've compiled a list of EVERY Number One Single from ALL THREE of the major music trade publications for this era ... and, as such, you'll see some titles appear that might surprise you. (Casey's countdowns were always based on the Billboard Charts ... long recognized as "The Music Bible" when it comes chart information. OUR list takes into consideration ALL of the national research used to assemble these charts way back when ... hopefully presenting an even clearer and more-accurate consensus of how these records really performed on the national charts.)

As such, using OUR methodology, we'll finally be honoring some songs that we have always felt were #1 Hits despite the fact that they never "officially" reached the summit in Billboard Magazine ... songs like LAST KISS by J. FRANK WILSON AND THE CAVALIERS (#1 in both Cash Box and Record World but NOT #1 in Billboard), THOSE WERE THE DAYS by MARY HOPKIN, GEORGY GIRL by THE SEEKERS, THE RAIN, THE PARK AND OTHER THINGS by THE COWSILLS, SHE'S NOT THERE by THE ZOMBIES, SPIRIT IN THE SKY by NORMAN GREENBAUM, I'M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME by DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES AND THE TEMPTATIONS, BARBARA ANN by THE BEACH BOYS and many, many more. (In addition, for the first time you'll see #1 Records included by Creedence Clearwater Revival and Blood, Sweat And Tears ... artists that couldn't get past the #2 spot in Billboard! All-in-all, we feel a better cross-representation of what the charts were REALLY like during this exciting and inventive era.)

And, since this countdown spotlights "The Beatles Years", you can count on seeing 24 #1 Records by The Fab Four in the countdown as well. (Although Billboard "officially" counted 20 #1 Records by The Beatles, this new expanded list now includes "Twist And Shout", a #1 Hit in both Cash Box and Record World, as well as "Nowhere Man", "Yellow Submarine" and "Something".)

NOTE: I found it especially interesting that because this list is based on TOTAL Number of Weeks at #1 in all three trade publications combined, I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND, the song that launched The Beatles Era in America, winds up as the #1 Song on the list, passing HEY JUDE, which is generally assumed to be The Beatles' biggest #1 Hit based on its nine weeks on top the chart in Billboard Magazine.

In all fairness, we DID make a couple of "judgement call" eliminations. For example, even though George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" reached #1 during 1970, we couldn't really include a record by a SOLO Beatle if we were saluting "The Beatles Years". Too bad for The Quite Beatle ... had it been included, "My Sweet Lord" would have earned eleven weeks at #1 between the three publications ... and that would have been good enough to make The Top 20!!! (We eliminated Diana Ross' first solo #1 Hit for the same reason ... but The Supremes are well-represented with TWELVE #1 Records of their own! But the solo careers of George Harrison, Diana Ross, et al, are really of "another era" ... and NOT The Beatles Era.)

The only other criteria required that the record had to have hit #1 between the weeks of January 1, 1964 and December 31, 1970 in order to qualify. (In the event of ties ... and there were several ... we let the record's performance in Billboard, long considered to be the Pop Music Bible, determine the rankings ... and, if further ties developed ... and they sometimes did ... we weighted the record based on its long-standing popularity over the past 40-45 years.)

The list includes ONLY #1 Records ... so records that may have charted longer or earned more points in a conventional countdown will not appear here unless they reached #1 in one of the major trade publications.

1. I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND - The Beatles

2. HEY JUDE - The Beatles

3. I'M A BELIEVER - The Monkees

4. AQUARIUS / LET THE SUN SHINE IN - The Fifth Dimension

5. LOVE IS BLUE - Paul Mauriat

6. IN THE YEAR 2525 - Zager and Evans

7. CAN'T BUY ME LOVE - The Beatles

8. GET BACK - The Beatles

9. HONEY - Bobby Goldsboro

10. I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE - Marvin Gaye

11. BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER - Simon and Garfunkel

12. THE BALLAD OF THE GREEN BERETS - S/Sgt. Barry Sadler

13. ODE TO BILLIE JOE - Bobbie Gentry

14. THiS GUY'S IN LOVE WITH YOU - Herb Alpert

15. I'LL BE THERE - The Jackson Five

16. TO SIR, WITH LOVE - Lulu

17. SATISFACTION - The Rolling Stones

18. DAYDREAM BELIEVER - The Monkees

19. SUGAR, SUGAR - The Archies

20. HONKY TONK WOMEN - The Rolling Stones

21. THE LETTER - The Box Tops

22. PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE - The Rascals

23. BABY LOVE - The Supremes

24. CHAPEL OF LOVE - The Dixiecups

25. MRS. BROWN, YOU'VE GOT A LOVELY DAUGHTER -

Herman's Hermits

26. MRS. ROBINSON - Simon and Garfunkel

27. WINDY - The Association

28. I THINK I LOVE YOU - The Partridge Family

29. YESTERDAY - The Beatles

30. RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN' ON MY HEAD - B.J. Thomas

31. GROOVIN' - The Young Rascals

32. DIZZY - Tommy Roe

33. SOMETHIN' STUPID - Nancy and Frank Sinatra

34. THE HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN - The Animals

35. I FEEL FINE - The Beatles

36. WE CAN WORK IT OUT - The Beatles

37. I GOT YOU BABE - Sonny and Cher

38. HELLO GOODBYE - The Beatles

39. LOVE CHILD - Diana Ross and the Supremes

40. LET IT BE - The Beatles

41. COME TOGETHER - The Beatles

42. CLOSE TO YOU - The Carpenters

43. CHERISH - The Association

44. MONDAY, MONDAY - The Mamas and the Papas

45. A HARD DAY'S NIGHT - The Beatles

46. YOU'VE LOST THAT LOVIN' FEELING - The Righteous Brothers

47. EIGHT DAYS A WEEK - The Beatles

48. EVERYDAY PEOPLE - Sly and the Family Stone

49. OH, PRETTY WOMAN - Roy Orbison

50. HAPPY TOGETHER - The Turtles

51. WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL - The New Vaudeville Band

52. HELP! - The Beatles

53. SOUL AND INSPIRATION - The Righteous Brothers

54. WEDDING BELL BLUES - The Fifth Dimension

55. RESPECT - Aretha Franklin

56. MAMA TOLD ME NOT TO COME - Three Dog Night

57. VENUS - Shocking Blue

58. AMERICAN WOMAN - The Guess Who

59. TURN, TURN, TURN - The Byrds

60. SUMMER IN THE CITY - The Lovin' Spoonful

61. WAR - Edwin Starr

62. RAG DOLL - The Four Seasons

63. DO WAH DIDDY DIDDY - Manfred Mann

64. WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO - The Supremes

65. THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD - The Beatles

66. I'M TELLING YOU NOW - Freddie and the Dreamers

67. GRAZING IN THE GRASS - Hugh Masekela

68. HANKY PANKY - Tommy James and the Shondells

69. I HEAR A SYMPHONY - The Supremes

70. THOSE WERE THE DAYS - Mary Hopkin

71. THERE, I'VE SAID IT AGAIN - Bobby Vinton

72. LIGHT MY FIRE - The Doors

73. SHE LOVES YOU - The Beatles

74. I GET AROUND - The Beach Boys

75. DOWNTOWN - Petula Clark

76. I CAN'T HELP MYSELF - The Four Tops

77. THIS DIAMOND RING - Gary Lewis and the Playboys

78. YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE - The Supremes

79. CRIMSON AND CLOVER - Tommy James and the Shondells

80. HELP ME, RHONDA - The Beach Boys

81. WILD THING - The Troggs

82. WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN - Percy Sledge

83. ABC - The Jackson Five

84. PAPERBACK WRITER - The Beatles

85. THE LOVE YOU SAVE - The Jackson Five

86. JUDY IN THE DISGUISE - John Fred and His Playboy Band

87. THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE - Simon and Garfunkel

88. THANK YOU FALETTINME BE MICE ELF AGIN -

Sly and the Family Stone

89. LOVE THEME FROM "ROMEO AND JULIET" - Henry Mancini

90. COME SEE ABOUT ME - The Supremes

91. YOU KEEP ME HANGIN' ON - The Supremes

92. SUSPCIOUS MINDS - Elvis Presley

93. PENNY LANE - The Beatles

94. ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE - The Beatles

95. LAST TRAIN TO CLARKSVILLE - The Monkees

96. I'M HENRY THE VIII, I AM - Herman's Hermits

97. HELLO DOLLY - Louis Armstrong

98. HARPER VALLEY P.T.A. - Jeannie C. Riley

99. SOMETHING - The Beatles

100. HAIR - The Cowsills

101. DOCK OF THE BAY - Otis Redding

102. TIGHTEN UP - Archie Bell and the Drells

103. HELLO, I LOVE YOU - The Doors

104. GET OFF OF MY CLOUD - The Rolling Stones

105. STOP! IN THE NAME OF LOVE - The Supremes

106. PAINT IT, BLACK - The Rolling Stones

107. LIGHTNING STRIKES - Lou Christie

108. HANG ON SLOOPY - The McCoys

109. EVE OF DESTRUCTION - Barry McGuire

110. LEAVING ON A JET PLANE - Peter, Paul and Mary

111. GOOD LOVIN' - The Young Rascals

112. INCENSE AND PEPPERMINTS - The Strawberry Alarm Clock

113. RUBY TUESDAY - The Rolling Stones

114. LOVE IS HERE AND NOW YOU'RE GONE - The Supremes

115. SPIRIT IN THE SKY - Norman Greenbaum

116. I'M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME - Diana Ross and the

Supremes and The Temptations

117. BUILD ME UP BUTTERCUP - The Foundations

118. VALLERI - The Monkees

119. MY GUY - Mary Wells

120. NA NA, HEY HEY, KISS HIM GOODBYE - Steam

121. THE TEARS OF A CLOWN - Smokey Robinson and the Miracles

122. KIND OF A DRAG - The Buckinghams

123. MY LOVE - Petula Clark

124. EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL - Ray Stevens

125. REACH OUT, I"LL BE THERE - The Four Tops

126. 96 TEARS - ? and the Mysterians

127. THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKIN' - Nancy Sinatra

128. GOOD VIBRATIONS - The Beach Boys

129. GAME OF LOVE - Wayne Fontana And The Mindbenders

130. SOMEDAY WE'LL BE TOGETHER - Diana Ross and the Supremes

131. MR. TAMBOURINE MAN - The Byrds

132. TICKET TO RIDE - The Beatles

133. LEADER OF THE PACK - The Shangri-Las

134. CRACKLIN' ROSIE - Neil Diamond

135. OVER AND OVER - The Dave Clark Five

136. SUNSHINE SUPERMAN - Donovan

137. MAKE IT WITH YOU - Bread

138. STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT - Frank Sinatra

139. POOR SIDE OF TOWN - Johnny Rivers

140. LOVE ME DO - The Beatles

141. GREEN TAMBOURINE MAN - The Lemon Pipers

142. MR. LONELY - Bobby Vinton

143. THE HAPPENING - The Supremes

144. CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU - Frankie Valli

145. BARBARA ANN - The Beach Boys

146. LAST KISS - J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers

147. A LITTLE BIT ME, A LITTLE BIT YOU - The Monkees

148. A LOVER'S CONCERTO - The Toys

149. I CAN'T GET NEXT TO YOU - The Temptations

150. A WORLD WITHOUT LOVE - Peter And Gordon

151. I WANT YOU BACK - The Jackson Five

152. RINGO - Lorne Greene

153. BACK IN MY ARMS AGAIN - The Supremes

154. TWIST AND SHOUT - The Beatles

155. IN THE GHETTO - Elvis Presley

156. A GROOVY KIND OF LOVE - The Mindbenders

157. SPILL THE WINE - Eric Burdon and War

158. LET'S HANG ON - The Four Seasons

159. THEME FROM "VALLEY OF THE DOLLS" - Dionne Warwick

160. LOOKIN' OUT MY BACK DOOR - Creedence Clearwater Revival

161. LADY WILLPOWER - Gary Puckett and the Union Gap

162. LOUIE LOUIE - The Kingsmen

163. SUNNY - Bobby Hebb

164. GEORGY GIRL - The Seekers

165. FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE - Stevie Wonder

166. WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN - The Carpenters

167. MELLOW YELLOW - Donovan

168. CECILIA - Simon and Garfunkel

169. NOWHERE MAN - The Beatles

170. YOUNG GIRL - Gary Puckett and the Union Gap

171. THEY'RE COMING TO TAKE ME AWAY, HA-HAA!!! - Napoleon XIV

172. SOUL MAN - Sam and Dave

173. EASY TO BE HARD - Three Dog Night

174. I GOT RHYTHM - The Happenings

175. YELLOW SUBMARINE - The Beatles

176. LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD - Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs

177. THE RAPPER - The Jaggerz

178. SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED, I'M YOURS - Stevie Wonder

179. MY GIRL - The Temptations

180. NEVER MY LOVE - The Association

181. THE RAIN, THE PARK AND OTHER THINGS - The Cowsills

182. 1, 2, 3 - Len Barry

183. JUMPIN' JACK FLASH - The Rolling Stones

184. SHE'S NOT THERE - The Zombies

185. WOOLY BULLY - Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs

186. SNOOPY VS. THE RED BARON - The Royal Guardsmen

187. BAD MOON RISING - Creedence Clearwater Revival

188. ONE - Three Dog Night

189. CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION - Tommy James and the Shondells

190. TIME OF THE SEASON - The Zombies

191. I GOT YOU - James Brown

192. PROUD MARY - Creedence Clearwater Revival

193. A LITTLE BIT OF SOUL - The Music Explosion

194. IN THE SUMMERTIME - Mungo Jerry

195. CLASSICAL GAS - Mason Williams

196. DAYDREAM - The Lovin' Spoonful

197. CANDIDA - Dawn

198. TOUCH ME - The Doors

199. LITTLE WOMAN - Bobby Sherman

200. A TASTE OF HONEY - Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass

RUNNERS-UP (in alphabetical order):

NOTE: All of these songs also made it to #1 for one week in one of the trades - but fell short of total points to make our Top 200 Countdown

AND WHEN I DIE - Blood, Sweat and Tears

BALL OF CONFUSION - The Temptations

BAND OF GOLD - Freda Payne

BEND ME, SHAPE ME - The American Breed

A BOY NAMED SUE - Johnny Cash

BREAD AND BUTTER - The Newbeats

CAN'T YOU HEAR MY HEARTBEAT - Herman's Hermits

CHAIN OF FOOLS - Aretha Franklin

I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE - Gladys Knight and the Pips

INDIANA WANTS ME - R. Dean Taylor

JEAN - Oliver

LIKE A ROLLING STONE - Bob Dylan

LOVE POTION NUMBER NINE - The Searchers

19th NERVOUS BREAKDOWN - The Rolling Stones

PATCHES - Clarence Carter

SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER - The Happenings

SHE'D RATHER BE WITH ME - The Turtles

SIMON SAYS - The 1910 Fruitgum Company

SOULFUL STRUT - Young-Holt Unlimited

THAT'S LIFE - Frank Sinatra

TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME - Tyrone Davis

WE'LL SING IN THE SUNSHINE - Gale Garnett

YOU SHOWED ME - The Turtles

Monday, March 10, 2025